GUNS Magazine September 2011 Digital Edition

• h O L T B O d I N S O N • MOSSBERG’S NEAT “PLINkSTER” TACTICAL Combining “fun” with “affordable.” here’s a new member in Mossberg’s extensive T family of semi-auto and bolt-action “Plinksters” and it has a snazzy, business-like tactical look about it. Meet the Tactical Plinkster which now fills out a line of modestly priced .22 LR semi-automatics that boasts the largest variety of stocks and stock colors in the industry; including bantam stocks, thumbhole stocks, wood stocks, synthetic stocks in colors ranging from Mossy Oak camouflage to hot, hot pink. In these times of tight budgets, it’s nice to see Mossberg finally dished up a tactical AR model with an industry-rattling price to boot. Every firearms company offering a rimfire AR has taken a different approach. Colt licensed Carl Walther in Germany to build their very detailed metal version of the AR. Ruger took the guts of their 10/22 and surrounded it with an AR wrapper. Smith & Wesson went to the drawing board and designed a rimfire AR that made maximum use of synthetics; while capturing the overall design and essential operating features of their M&P 15 centerfires. If only that molded-in operating handle and forward assist actually worked (above)! It helps keep the looks up and price down. The crossbolt safety and ambidextrous magazine release (below) are well positioned and handy. different Approach Mossberg International combined two approaches taken by the other companies. The Tactical Plinkster is made abroad in Brazil through a licensing agreement with CBC (Companhia Brasileira de Cartuchos), Latin America’s largest ammunition manufacturing company, which is known to us through their familiar Magtech line of ammunition. CBC also manufactures rifles and shotguns, including Mossberg’s line of Model 702 Plinksters. Similar to the approach taken by Ruger in combining a 10/22-barrel action with an AR-styled stock, Mossberg has created the Tactical Plinkster by surrounding their Model 702 barreled action with an AR-looking polymer clamshell. The result is a very stylish rimfire AR at a plinker’s price. Mossberg International has incorporated some interesting components into the Tactical Plinkster. The M-4-styled stock is available in either a fixed 13" holt found the mossberg Plinkster perfectly reliable with all loads tried and decently accurate, even though high wind curtailed the test. 8 WWW.GUNSMAGAZINE.COM • SEPTEMBER 2011